The Alameda County Family courts are filled with he said she said cases with little to no evidence. Many judges make their judgments on their gut feelings during the 20-minute session when you appear before them in an unnatural, high-stress environment. Having evidence to support your case, and highlighting the other party's lack of evidence (if that is the case) can increase the chances of your requests being fulfilled.
In addition to documenting everything and any surveillance, there are ways to easily document communications and access publicly available information.
- Set up a google voice account (https://www.google.com/voice)
- This will allow you to keep a history of all calls with your STBE, transcribe voicemails, send calls from specific numbers directly to voicemail, and keep all text messages. You can also add notes about a call, screen calls, and record calls (the other party will be notified they are being recorded). This is a free service and can make or break the findings in your case.
- Use google, other search engines, and social media to stay as informed as possible about your STBE
- It is amazing what publicly available information you can find about someone online. Simple google searches and navigating social media sites can provide a wealth of information. Public records can also be useful. If no information is available, try looking at your STBE's friends profiles where information may not be restricted. And be advised: this works both ways. It is best not to post anything that could be used against you anywhere online. If you must post about your divorce, do so anonymously.